Plant stand

ABSTRACT

The plant stand has a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, with the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant. A plurality of drainage apertures are formed through the platform, and a hook is mounted to the lower surface of the support and projects downwardly therefrom. The hook is adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the support. A plurality of legs support the platform, the legs extending from the periphery of the platform. The legs may be telescoping in order to adjust the height of the platform. In use, the plant stand may be placed in a shower stall to wash or water the plant with a spray of water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates devices for supporting potted plants, andparticularly to a plant stand that provides a platform mounted on legsand has the capability of supporting the plant on top of the platform orsuspended from the platform for washing or watering the plant, as wellas for display purposes.

2. Description of the Related Art

Potted plants are typically watered by hand, with the user transportingwater to the plant via a watering can or the like. However, elderly orinfirm users may find the use of a heavy and unwieldy watering caninconvenient. Further, watering plants in this manner often results inthe unwanted splashing of water, both into the environment surroundingthe potted plant, and onto the support for the plant. Typical supportsare formed from planar boards, planks or plates, and splashed water mayresult in the accumulation of water between the support and the pottedplant, which, upon stagnation, may result in harmful mold or mildewbeing produced. In addition, such conventional supports must beregularly cleaned due to spilled dirt from the potted plant, and fromcommon environmental contaminants, such as dust and the like.

Moreover, potted plants have a tendency to collect dust on the plantleaves. From time to time, it becomes necessary to clean the leaves foraesthetic purposes. A typical approach is to clean each leafindividually with a dust cloth or a damp sponge, occasionally sprayingthe leaves, when necessary. This can be a time consuming chore. A betterapproach would be to place the entire plant in a bathtub or shower stallwhere the entire plant can be sprayed at one time to remove any dust ordirt that has accumulated on the leaves. However, there is no washing orwatering stand for plants currently available that is adapted for thispurpose.

Thus, a plant stand solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The plant stand includes a platform having an upper surface and a lowersurface, with the upper surface being adapted for selectively supportinga potted plant. The support may be formed from plastic, treated wood,corrosion resistant metal or any other suitable portable andwater-resistant material.

The platform is perforated to provide for drainage, and may be circular,having a grid of large apertures extending radially from a central hubto permit the passage of large quantities of water when the plant isbeing washed under a continuous spray, such as a under a bathtub orshower stall sprayer nozzle. A hook may depend from the platform forsupporting a plant suspended from the platform. The hook may bepermanently installed on the lower surface of the platform.Alternatively, the central hub may have a slot defined therein, and thehook may be removably inserted through the slot, the hook having a basesupported on a recessed ledge defined in the central hub.

The platform is supported by a plurality of legs. The legs may bepermanently mounted to the platform. Alternatively, the upper ends ofthe legs are removably inserted into sockets defined in the lowersurface of the platform adjacent the periphery of the platform. The legsare preferably height adjustable, being telescopic legs having means forfixing the height of the legs, being either continuously adjustable oradjustable in discreet increments. The legs are preferably formed from arust-resistant material, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic.Preferably, the platform is circular and is supported by three legs, thefeet of the legs defining the vertices of an isosceles triangle.

In use, the stand may be placed in a shower stall, for example, and thepotted plant may be either positioned on the upper surface of thesupport or suspended from the hook member. In the latter configuration,streaming water may be directed at the upper surface of the support andfall through the fluid passages to drip onto the plant.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a plant stand accordingto the present invention, showing a potted plant being supported on topof the platform.

FIG. 2 is an environmental, perspective view of the plant standaccording to the present invention, showing a potted plant suspendedbelow the platform.

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an exemplary platform of the plant standaccording to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the platform of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of a plant stand according to the presentinvention.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the plant stand 10 is shown as being positioned withinshower stall 12 for washing and watering potted plant P. It should beunderstood that plant stand 10 may be positioned in any desiredenvironment in which the user wishes to wash or water plant P. Showerstall 12 of FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown for exemplary purposes only. In FIG.1, potted plant P is mounted on the upper surface of platform 14,allowing water from the shower (or any other suitable supply of water)to be sprayed upon the leaves of plant P, thereby cleaning any dust ordirt off the leaves while simultaneously watering the plant P. As willbe described in greater detail below, stand 10 is formed from relativelylightweight materials, and may be easily transported between showerstall 12 and a conventional display environment for plant P, such as aliving room.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the platform 14 has an upper surface 20and a lower surface 22, with the upper surface 20 being adapted forsupporting potted plant P. The platform 14 may be formed from plastic,treated wood, corrosion resistant metal or any other suitable portableand water-resistant material. Although shown as having a substantiallycircular contour, it should be understood that support 14 may have anydesired contour.

The platform 14 is preferably perforated, having a plurality ofapertures 16 defined therein to provide for drainage of water and anydust or particles of soil that may be flushed from the plant whenwashing or watering the plant. As shown in the drawings, the platform 14may have a grid of rather large apertures extending radially between acentral hub 25 and a peripheral rim 27. The large size of the apertures16 provides for rapid passage of a large volume of water through theplatform 14 to prevent standing water from accumulating on the uppersurface 20, which might support the growth of mold and mildew.

In the configuration of FIG. 2, potted plant P is suspended below theplatform 14 by a cord C, rope, or the like. The cord C is attached to ahook 28 that depends from the lower surface 22 of the platform 14. Asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4, central hub 25 may be rectangular in shape,having a slot 24 defined therethrough having a width slightly largerthan the width of the body and arcuate end of the hook 28 so that thehook 28 may be slidably inserted through the slot 24 from above theplatform 14. The upper surface 20 of the central hub 25 has a notchformed therein adjacent the slot 24 defining a ledge 26. The base of thehook 28 has a laterally extending flange 30 that seats in the notch onthe ledge 26 flush with the upper surface 20 in order to retain the hook28.

Hook 28 may be optionally inserted into the slot 24 when it is desiredto suspend a plant P below the platform 14 and removed when storing theplant stand 10. Alternatively, hook 28 may be permanently attached tothe platform 14. It will be obvious that the plant stand 10 is capableof simultaneously supporting a first potted plant P on top of theplatform 14, and a second potted plant P suspended below the platformfor display purposes, if desired.

The plant stand 10 has a plurality of legs 18 supporting the platform14. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, platform 14 may have leg-mounting ledgesor portions 29 adjacent the rim 27 and extending radially inward fromthe rim 27. Leg-mounting portions 29 have bosses or sockets 31 definedtherein that receive the upper ends of legs 18. Sockets 31 may be angledor canted at an angle of about 10° so that legs 18 extend outward fromthe rim 27 of platform 18. The upper ends of legs 18 may be frictionallyretained in sockets 31. Alternatively, sockets 31 may be internallythreaded and the upper ends of legs 18 may be externally threaded toengage the sockets 31. In another alternative, sockets 31 may havefixtures permanently installed therein, the upper ends of legs 18releasably engaging the fixtures to secure the legs 18 to the platform14.

As shown in the drawings, preferably the platform 14 is circular and issupported by three legs 18. The sockets 31 are preferably angled in sucha manner that the feet of the legs 18 form the vertices of an isoscelestriangle, which both provides a stable support for the platform 14 andsufficient room between the legs 18 to suspend a potted plant P beneaththe platform 14, if desired. As shown in FIG. 5, the lower ends of legs18 may be capped by feet 32, preferably made of rubber or other materialhaving a high coefficient of friction to prevent the legs 18 fromsliding when the stand 10 is placed in a tub or shower to wash the plantP.

Preferably legs 18 are made from a lightweight, sturdy, rust-resistantor corrosion-resistant material, such as stainless steel, aluminum,plastic, or other suitable alloys, composites, or materials. Legs 18 arepreferably elongated, cylindrical rods or tubes. It is also preferredthat legs 18 be height adjustable, i.e., legs 18 are telescoping legshaving some means for releasably locking the height of the legs 18 at adesired height. Legs 18 may be continuously adjustable in height, or theheight may be adjustable in discreet intervals. Adjustability in heightpermits the platform 14 to be lowered when washing the plant P in a tubor shower stall. It will be understood, however, that plant stand 10 maybe used outdoors on a patio, deck, or the like, and the plant P may bewashed or watered using a garden hose equipped with a spray nozzle ofthe like, if desired.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A plant stand, comprising: a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being perforated and having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therein, the platform having a peripheral rim and a plurality of leg-mounting bosses defined in the lower surface adjacent the peripheral rim; a hook depending from the lower surface of the platform, the hook being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and a plurality of legs having an upper end and a lower end, the upper ends of the legs being mounted in the leg bosses so that the platform is supported above the around on the legs.
 2. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said hook member is removably attached to said platform.
 3. The plant stand as recited in claim 2, wherein said platform has a central hub and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining the drainage apertures.
 4. The plant stand as recited in claim 3, wherein said central hub has a slot defined therein having a width slightly greater than a thickness of the hook, the central hub having a notch defined in the upper surface adjacent the slot and forming a ledge, said hook having a base and a flange extending laterally from the base, the hook being slidable through the slot, the flange seating in the notch on the ledge flush with the upper surface, whereby the hook is removably attached to said platform.
 5. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said platform is circular, the plurality of legs consisting of three legs, the bosses being canted outwards so that the lower ends describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
 6. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said legs comprise telescoping legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
 7. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said platform and said legs are formed from rust resistant and corrosion resistant material.
 8. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, further comprising a plurality feet disposed on the lower ends of said legs, the feet being formed from a material having a high coefficient of friction to prevent the plant stand from sliding.
 9. The plant stand as recited in claim 1, wherein said legs are removably attached to said platform for compact storage and transport.
 10. A plant stand, comprising: a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being perforated and having a plurality of drainage apertures defined therein; a hook removably attached to the platform, the hook extending below the platform and being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and a plurality of legs having an upper end and a lower end, the platform being supported above the ground on the upper ends of the legs.
 11. The plant stand according to claim 10, wherein said platform comprises a central hub, a peripheral rim, and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining the drainage apertures.
 12. The plant stand according to claim 11, wherein said central hub has a slot defined therein having a width slightly greater than a thickness of the hook, the central hub having a notch defined in the upper surface adjacent the slot and forming a ledge, said hook having a base and a flange extending laterally from the base, the hook being slidable through the slot, the flange seating in the notch on the ledge flush with the upper surface, whereby the hook is removably attached to said platform.
 13. The plant stand according to claim 11, wherein said platform is circular, the plurality of legs consisting of three legs, the legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim so that the lower ends describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
 14. The plant stand according to claim 13, wherein said legs comprise telescoping tubular legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
 15. The plant stand according to claim 10, wherein said platform and said legs are formed from rust resistant and corrosion resistant material.
 16. A plant stand, comprising: a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, the upper surface being adapted for supporting a potted plant, the platform being circular and having a central hub, a peripheral rim, and a grid extending radially between the central hub and the peripheral rim, the grid defining a plurality of drainage apertures; a hook removably attached to the platform, the hook extending below the platform, the hook being adapted for supporting a potted plant suspended beneath the platform, the drainage apertures of said platform being adapted for passage of water therethrough for watering the potted plant suspended beneath the platform; and a plurality of legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim, the platform being supported above the ground on the legs.
 17. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein the plurality of legs consists of three legs, the legs extending downward and outward from the peripheral rim so that lower ends thereof describe vertices of an isosceles triangle.
 18. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein said legs comprise telescoping tubular legs, whereby said platform is height adjustable.
 19. The plant stand according to claim 16, further comprising a plurality of feet attached to said legs, the feet being made of a skid-resistant material.
 20. The plant stand according to claim 16, wherein said legs are detachable from said platform for compact storage and transport. 